{"id":205,"date":"2023-07-25T05:46:00","date_gmt":"2023-07-25T05:46:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.wordvice.com\/?p=205"},"modified":"2024-06-20T01:58:32","modified_gmt":"2024-06-20T01:58:32","slug":"writing-the-common-app-essay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordvice.com\/blog\/writing-the-common-app-essay\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Write the Common App Essay–Examples for 2023-2024"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The Common Application is the most widely accepted undergraduate college admission application in the US. Common App Essays are a crucial part of any college applicant’s admissions materials. 
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So, you\u2019re applying to college and are probably panicking about how to write the hardest part of your application: the Common Application essay. Don\u2019t panic! We\u2019re here to help. If you keep the following tips in mind, we\u2019re confident that you\u2019ll be well on your way to drafting a strong application essay that screams out, \u201cDear College, this is who I am, and here\u2019s why you want me!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, let’s start with some basics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is the Common Application Essay?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Common Application centralizes the admissions process for over 900 schools. These participating colleges and universities<\/a> all use the same common biographical and academic information forms. Most of the schools also require or accept the Common Application essay. Neat, huh? Essentially, you choose the schools you want to apply to, add them to your application list, fill in the general demographic and biographical information, upload or input academic records and standardized testing information, designate people to write you recommendations, and upload the Common Application essay. All of this is done in one place. That\u2019s it. Simple, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, many of the top-tiered schools require additional information and essays, but most of these documents can be uploaded into the Common Application. If you\u2019re applying to art schools, the schools will provide extra links on their Common Application sites. Those links will lead you to a website where you can upload your art portfolio and additional documents.  We\u2019ll discuss such additional requirements in another post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What do I need to include in the Common App Essay?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While the Common Application essay regularly makes adjustments to its essay prompts, for the 2022-2023 college application season, the prompts will remain exactly the same as last year, when the rarely used prompt about solving a problem was replaced with one that was inspired by scientific research on gratitude and kindness, to, according to Common App President & CEO Jenny Rickard, “help students think about something positive and heartfelt in their lives.\u201d The 2023-2024 Common App Essay prompts<\/a> also still contain the optional COVID-19 prompt<\/a> that appeared in 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, please share your story.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  7. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you\u2019ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Did you notice a common theme among these questions? At its core, the Common Application essay is designed to make you answer the question, \u201cWHO are you?\u201d  What colleges and universities want to know is (1) how your experiences or background have shaped you into the person you are today and (2) how who you are today is going to affect your future academic performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Why is the Common App Essay important?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    This essay is one of the most important parts of your application, and in some cases, especially for top-tiered schools, it is weighed as much as, or more than, your grades and test scores\u2014estimates say that they can account for anywhere from 10 to 30% of admission decisions. Why? Well, think about it. If most of the applicants applying to a top college have similar academic profiles, how can the schools distinguish one candidate from another? It\u2019s all in the story you craft, and we\u2019re here to help you present the best version of you<\/strong>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Preparing to Write Your Common App Essay<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    A good starting point for writing a successful application essay is reading Common App essay examples<\/a> that got other students admitted to their schools of choice. However, keep in mind that you do that for inspiration only and that your goal is not to copy anyone\u2014ultimately, you\u2019ll have to come up with your very own story and present it in your very own way. The tips and \u201cdos and don\u2019ts\u201d below can help you do exactly that as you prepare to write or rewrite your Common Application essay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You are also well advised to ask your teachers, counselors, and other mentors for advice at any step of the process: Maybe come up with a list of potential topics and let someone who knows you and is aware of your goal (to get into your school of choice) give you feedback on what they think suits or doesn\u2019t suit you. Or make a draft of your story (maybe just in your head) and call your mentor to ask them if they would choose you as a prospective student based on that story. You can of course also seek out professional proofreaders like us to help you revise your personal statement and make it shine!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The two main points of getting yourself ready for writing your Common App essay are (1) that admissions committees have no preference for which prompt you choose and (2) that your essay is not a place to restate what you already said on your resum\u00e9 or in the Common App \u201cactivities\u201d section. You also don\u2019t have to prove that you somehow changed the world or did something heroic. Instead, the essay is a chance for you to show the admissions committee the “you” that your friends, classmates, teachers, and family know. Our advice for where to start is to brainstorm the best (most interesting, most meaningful, most unique\u2026) stories about your life that you can think of, and then<\/em> look at the question prompts and decide which one your story could be an answer to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Common App Essay Writing Timelines<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Now that we agree on how important your Common App essay is, you will not be surprised if we recommend that you start working on it several months before the actual deadline. Why so early? Because you don’t want to rush or force it or regret your choice of topic when it’s too late to change. If you see this as a creative process that needs time, you’ll make the most out of it and also learn a lot along the way that will help you with writing other essays and assignments once you got into your school of choice!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Timeline 1: Write a Common App Essay in three months<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    First two weeks <\/strong><\/td>Don’t try to write anything\u2014just brainstorm all the stories you could tell about your life, ask friends\/family\/advisors\/mentors for input, and see how your stories could fit into the question prompts. <\/td><\/tr>
    Weeks 3-4 <\/strong><\/td>Freewriting: Choose one prompt and one story every day, set a timer, and just write down everything that comes to your mind until the alarm goes off. Keep it light, and don’t show anything to anyone during this period. You don’t want to be too conscious about your writing yet. Just play around. <\/td><\/tr>
    Week 5<\/strong><\/td>Choose a story and a prompt and complete your first draft of your Common App personal statement. <\/td><\/tr>
    Week 6 <\/strong><\/td>Complete your second draft (this is the revision\/editing phase). <\/td><\/tr>
    Weeks 7-8<\/strong> <\/td>Complete your third and fourth drafts. <\/td><\/tr>
    Week 9 <\/strong><\/td>Ask for feedback from advisors, mentors, or teachers. <\/td><\/tr>
    Week 10<\/strong> <\/td>Complete your final draft. <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Now you have one finished essay to apply with and two more weeks to show it around for more feedback in case you get second thoughts or to change it up again after sleeping on it for a couple of days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If this seems like way too much time to invest in and focus on your essay, then try this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Timeline 2: Write your Common App Essay in one month<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    First week<\/strong><\/td>Brainstorm and play around with the question prompts. <\/td><\/tr>
    Second week <\/strong><\/td>Freewriting: Write down any ideas that come to mind; don’t limit yourself with specific structure or content. <\/td><\/tr>
    Third week <\/strong><\/td>Complete the first draft of your Common App Essay. <\/td><\/tr>
    Fourth week<\/strong><\/td>Complete the second draft (this is the revision\/editing phase), ask for feedback, and complete the final draft of your essay. Edit and proofread your essay before submitting to admissions officials.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Since you don\u2019t have much time for feedback if you start that late, make sure you contact your advisors\/teachers well in advance to let them know when you\u2019ll be ready so that they can schedule you in or tell you when they are available. You don\u2019t want to pressure people and step on their toes when you need their valuable input!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Great Common App Essay Examples for 2023-2024<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    We found some of the best Common App essay examples from this year and years past to give you a sense of what kinds of essays work best to captivate admissions officials. We have listed essay examples in each section by their corresponding essay prompt to help you understand what kinds of responses are most suitable. Although your essay will be unique and might vary significantly from the examples below, read through each one to get an overall idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Common App Essay Examples: Prompt #1<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    This prompt asks applicants to write about what makes them uniquely them. Whether you\u2019re writing about a hobby, your background, or how you define yourself, it\u2019s important to tell a story so central to who you are that your application would be incomplete without it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When answering this prompt, it\u2019s easy to repeat information that you are already presenting outside of the essay. Avoid this at all costs. Remember: the essay is supposed to add a new dimension<\/em> to your application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    See this sample essay to get a sense of what a great response to this prompt could look like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n